Trigger fire extinguishing apparatus



Sept. 29, 1953 H. G ENJN ET AL TRIGGER FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS v Fglled July 6, 1950 M Q Q HENRI GEN/IV AND He/we/ DEBRA;

Patented Sept. 29, 1953 TRIGGER FIRE EXTINGUISHIN G APPARATUS Henri Gnin and Henri Debray, Laval, France Application July 6, 1950, Serial No. 172,296 In France July 9, 1949 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a fire extinguisher of the type comprising a glass ampoule filled with a volatile extinguishing liquid such as methyl bromide, designed and intended particularly for use on motocars or aircrafts and more generally wherever it is desirable or necessary that the user be able to operate the same with one hand.

Among other things the invention provides a fire extinguisher of said type in which the liquid may be ejected from the ampoule by actuating a trigger mechanism which controls a device to break the capillary end of the ampoule.

The above and other objects of the invention will be made toappear more clearly from the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of an apparatus according to our invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the parts included inside the circle II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a modification of the actuating mechanism for the block of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a perspective view of an apparatus according to our invention with two ampoules.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the extinguishing liquid, methyl bromide for instance, is held in a glass ampoule I in the shape of a tube of about 30 mm. diameter, with a content of 100 cc., with one end 2 of the tube I rounded off, the other end being closed by a capillary tube 3 of diameter less than 1 mm. This capillary tube 3 is from 2 cm. to 2.5 cm. in length and enables the extinguisher liquid to expand in the form of a directed spray.

The ampoule I is housed in the barrel 4 of a kind of revolver provided with a, grip 5 and a trigger pull-off mechanism 6.

The barrel 4 of this revolver has a slightly larger diameter than the ampoule I so as to give the ampoule a slight slope in regard to the axis of the barrel.

The ampoule l is held tightly in the middle by a felt collar 8 glued for instance to the inside of the barrel 4.

The capillary tube 3 of the ampoule is held by a hard cork collar 9 fastened inside 'a thin ring it by six pointed parts ll housed in six holes of the ring it).

This ring it slides easily in the tube 4 of the revolver and is ended off in front by a raised edge l2 that enables the fingers to get hold of it and take it out by drawing the cork collar 9. The collar 9 has a cone-shaped opening l3 in the centre; the larger base of the cone is at the rear to enable the capillary tube 3 to be inserted easily and to be held tighter at l3 on the side of the smaller base of the cone.

The ampoule l of which the length may vary slightly is kept pushed forward, towards the collar 9, by a flexible spring 14 that acts between the bottom end I5 of the barrel 4 and the end 2 of the ampoule and that keeps the ampoule in a fixed position, thus avoiding any possible damage through any bumps. The ring [0 assumes a settled position, by being kept tight against the ampoule I by a threaded plug 5 that is screwed in the barrel opening. The outer edge I! of this plug it is milled so that it can be screwed and unscrewed. There is a large aperture in its middle portion [8 provided by a grid l9 that acts as a protection for the tip 3 of the ampoule I and through which the liquid spray is broken up partly to be scattered inside the spraying cone.

The revolver is held in the ordinary way by the grip 5 that is placed in the rear part of the apparatus and throws it out of balance, thus helping the liquid to expand through the capillary tube 3. The ampoule as a matter of fact must be sloped downwards so that not only the vapours but also the liquid may be blown out towards the front.

The whole of the pull-off mechanism 6 is housed below the barrel 4 so that the barrel diameter is not reduced thus enabling the ampoule to be inserted through the front end. An aperture 29 is cut in front below the barrel 4 and in the ring Hi, to enable the block 2| to move upwards and break off the capillary tube 3 in its middle at l3, through a blow given at its end. This block 2| is carried by a lever 22 pivotally mounted on a spindle 23 and provided with a short rounded off heel 24. It is hollowed in front with a notch 25 where is hooked a finger 26, fixed rigidly with the trigger l, by means of the arm 21. The trigger l and the arm 21 are pushed to the rear by the spring 28 and held in this rear position by a safety catch 29, that works together with a stud 36 of the arm 21. The trigger is [hinged at 3 I. The lever 22 that carries the block 4 is thrust strongly upwards by an expansion spring 32 fastened to the revolver by a spindle .33.

It will be easy to see how the apparatus works from what has gone before:

When the ampoule l is placed inside the barrel 4, an extinguishing liquid spray is got by pressing back on the trigger 1', after lowering the checking pin 29 that plays the part of safety catch.

When the trigger l is pressed back, it pushes forward the arm 2'! and the finger 25'. The block 2| is then released and is pushed sharply upwards by the spring 32. It swings round the spindle 23 and gives a hard knock to the tube 1 at its end 3. The tube is broken.

The spring 32 presses on the lever arm 22 

